The American Correction System: Objectives and Principles Essay
Submitted By Meeka6
Words: 1427
Pages: 6
Sentencing
CJA/234
July 3, 2012
Dr. Glenda Shepherd
Sentencing
Sentencing
The American correction system has gone through an array of punitive options to deal with criminals. Many options, models, philosophies, and methods explored throughout history in the punishment of criminals have resulted in the emergence of four main principles: deterrence, incapacitation, reformation, and rehabilitation. These four principles all have different intents and affects. Some may work well and other may not, depending on the circumstance, sentencing intent, and the individual prisoner. The American correctional system has four primary objectives in punishment. The aim is to deter, incapacitate, reform, and rehabilitate. Deterrence is a clear identification of certain actions that will subject the actor to undeniable and inevitable punishment. Given this certainty, the actor will knowingly act on his impulse and commit the offense that will subject him to inescapable punishment or will the knowledge of the inescapable punishment deter him from committing the offense. The intent of deterrence is to identify, and assert the certainty of punishment in the hopes of instilling fear of punishment to prevent the impulse to commit the offense or repeat the offense. If the offender understands that a prescribed punishment is certain following commission of a given crime and avoids commission of the offense, then deterrence is successful. The second objective in the principles of punishment is incapacitation. When society deems the offender to be more harm to society than help, the offender is render powerless to cause further harm through lengthy imprisonment. As evidence during the Alcatraz era, known as the punitive era of 1934-1945, where society became repulse with criminals and declared offenders as unsalvageable persons. These declarations from the punitive era prompted the “out of sight, out of mind” movement to lock all criminals away and throw away the keys (Schmallerger, 2009, p. 470). The intent was to prevent the offender from causing further harm to society through lengthy or life sentences. The reasoning behind this movement is if the offender cannot return to society then he cannot cause further harm. If an offender completes his sentences and returns to society, he would be so elderly that the only occupying thoughts on his mind are finding suitable retirement homes. The third punitive objective of the correctional system is reform. Reformation aims at confining the offender for an indeterminate sentence to bring about changes and eliminate the impulse to commit the same or future offenses through programs and good behaviors. Reformation was the result of the 1876-1890 reformatory eras. The reformatory era primarily focused on reforming undisciplined juveniles. However, the objective took root in the prison system creating early release of prisoners with evidence of reform changes. Unfortunately, reformation was a failure with evidence of high recidivism. However, the failure of the reform principles gave birth to parole, indeterminate sentencing, technical training, and education, which started the new wave in prison reform (Schmallerger, 2009, p. 466-468). The last punitive objective in the American criminal correction system is rehabilitation. The principle of rehabilitation is to treat offenders with special programs or institutions to prevent recurrence and repeat of the offense. The intent of rehabilitation is to correct the offender of certain ailments, which will bring about a law-abiding individual for reintegration into society or help the offender to overcome problems to avoid future offenses (Foster, 2006, p. 67-68). If an offender were an alcoholic, the rehabilitative treatment for that offender would be alcoholic treatment institutions and programs. If the offender were mentally ill, then the rehabilitative treatment for that person would be the specific behavioral
Related Documents: The American Correction System: Objectives and Principles Essay
Correction Trend Evaluation Julia Mosley CJA/394 October 1, 2013 T. BURNS Correction Trend Evaluation In the United States, the corrections facilities is overcrowded and mismanagement. A prisoner is led to inhumane treatment and more of them are filing lawsuit against correctional facilities for civil rights violation. Prisoners are aging and changes made throughout, the prison with correctional staff, technology, health care, and court ordered. To improve the prison system it is to focus on sustainability…
values between staff Communicating goals to staff & employees Creating the environment of the employees to perform high level. Controlling Monitoring employees activities Determine whether the organization on target goals making appropriate corrections if necessary Empowerment and trust of employees…. Less emphasis on top-down control & more on training employees to monitor correct themselves Evolution history of QM Characteristics of different stages The historical evolution…
2-3 pages One of the first prison systems was called the Pennsylvania System. The ideology of this system was used in the Eastern State Penitentiary in the early 1800s. This system had very definite ideas on how a prison should be organized and managed. The operation of this prison was based on the following 5 general principles (Clear, Cole, & Reisig, 2006): 1. Do not treat prisoners harshly, but instruct them that hard and selective forms of suffering could change their lives. 2.…
deviance, crime, delinquency, victimization, the criminal justice system, social control, and terrorism. There is an extensive review of the major sociological explanations on the causes of crime and criminality in addition to a consideration of the biological and psychological perspectives. An examination of the research methods employed by criminologists in the collection and analysis of data will also be undertaken. Course Objectives Compare and contrast the scientific approach in explaining crime…
Juvenile Justice Stephen Stivason Strayer University Juvenile Delinquency and Justice September 7, 2011 Introduction There is little doubt that there is a fundamental problem with the contemporary American approach to juvenile justice. That is because the focus of the U.S. juvenile justice system is heavily based on procedural safeguards that protect juvenile rights whereas there may be more important concerns. Certainly, the rights of juvenile defendants must be protected and sentences should…
Environmental Economics Market Failures • • A subset of neoclassical economics? – – – – Generally, no physical limits to growth, Prioritises allocative efficiency over optimal scale, Hegemony of the market, Utility accepted as de facto human welfare. • Principle mode of diagnosis: Environmental problems are caused by market failures. • Remedy: Assign market values to the environment and incorporate within the economy (this requires an institutional intervention). • • Environmental Economics is primarily…
The Criminal Justice Process Explained Student: John Stevens American Public University System Instructor: Professor Clark June 10th, 2014 Introduction The criminal justice system is typically made of the judges, correctional services, police, prosecutors and juries. In the contemporary world, social control and order would be unattainable without the criminal justice institutions. The criminal justice systems, practices and institutions are usually government owned and they bring…
designates a minimum passing score at 65%. (2/06)(8/09) 0033 MC-1406-0023 09-JAN-2006 Fundamentals of Marine Corps Leadership by Correspondence: Marine Corps Institute Washington, DC Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to demonstrate principles and techniques of leadership and their application to problems in areas such…
function refers to exercising fundamental policies, strategic goals and the approval of certain significant actions to make decisions. Oversight functions concerns the evaluation of management decisions, the execution of policies and adequacy of systems and controls. The table below manifests the composition of Board of Directors. The name list of the Board of Directors is shown in the Table 1in Appendix. 3.2 Committee Structures The Board has established four committees for assisting execute its…
service management system) are offered and assessed in order to pick the most suitable to address the mentioned issues. The choice is made in the favor of the latter option. The benefits and costs of the provided solution are evaluated, and the conclusion concerning the feasibility of the project is made. Finally, a set of recommendations concerning the implementation of the project is presented. Business Case: Eversoft Co. The Problem Statement Eversoft Co. is an American IT company with headquarters…